PUSH
by misery2014
Summary: Oliver and Felicity are pushed into a new awareness of their feelings together. But does that mean they are pushed together, or further apart. Story begins after season 2 mid season finale.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the DC comics, nor do I own the CW Arrow. This is purely for fun, and no copy right infringement intended.

Authors Note: This is my first attempt at writing a fan fiction for Oliver and Felicity. The story starts after the second mid-season finale.

Chapter ONE

Oliver managed a curtsey knock on Felicity's apartment door. What he _felt_ like doing was kicking the damn thing down. He breathed steadily trying to contain and focus his rage, something he brought back from the island with him. Muffled noises came from the other side of the door, and in his mind's eye, she was peering through the peep-hole. He knew she would answer, it wasn't like her to turn from a fight.

The door swung open, "Oliver." She calmly looked at him. He first noticed her eyes, like every other time, he then noticed that she was wearing her jacket and holding a suitcase. The contained rage managed to escape.

"Going somewhere?" He bit out.

"I wanted to get out of town."

"Where?"

"I've arranged for a temp for the next couple of days." He noticed she was using her professional Executive Assistant tone, and it irritated him.

"I asked where?" She slid past the door, before shutting and locking it. They were standing side by side, and he could smell her hair, which was distracting. He needed to focus, he came here to talk about boy wonder Barry Allen. Dig had all but begged him to stay away from her, but how could he? How could she have been so trusting? So foolish? Not with his secrets, but with hers and Digs.

"I don't need to tell you where? Your not my father, or my husband. Not that I would tell them either, but you know what I'm saying." She flushed a little but continued to move past him down the corridor. Not wanting to be left behind he followed her and reached for her arm.

"Felicity we need to discuss-"

"No, we don't need to discuss anything right now. You've made your opinions very _very_ clear to me. I have a complete understanding of the disappointment you have in me regarding my choices this evening." She took a step closer, they were now inches apart, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I already feel badly about what I did, I take full responsibility. But Oliver, if I was faced with the same decision, I would make the same one every time."

And before he could respond she turned and walked away. And what was he supposed to do. He couldn't very well follow her, he had a company to run, and later crime fighting. He shook his head, OK he would give her a few days. A few days would calm both of them, and then they would figure out what they would do about Barry Allen. In the mean time he would make sure Digs kept a close eye on him.

It wasn't easy walking away, but she knew he would stand his ground. She really couldn't understand why having Barry save his life had enraged him so. It was the most logical thing to do. Oliver was dying. She didn't have medical expertise, and Dig had only limited knowledge, they needed someone with in depth medical knowledge. The thought of Oliver laying helplessly on the steel table, life slipping out of his body, made her heart beat faster. It was so close this time, almost to close. If it hadn't been for Barry, where would she be right now? Trying to do a cover up for Oliver Queen's death, attending his funeral. Her eyes watered as she stared out of the bus window. Crying in public wouldn't make things easier to understand.

She told Oliver she needed a couple of days, but the truth was, she didn't know how long it would take to shake this feeling that had rocked her to her core. She had feelings for Oliver, and she needed to get them in check. He had told her as much, he couldn't have someone he cared about in her life. She hadn't counted on having these feelings, but without her knowing until tonight she now knew she couldn't pretend that they weren't there.

The bus finally pulled away from the station. It wasn't a long drive, but she didn't trust herself to drive it alone. Not without stopping to sob. She felt her phone vibrate in her hands. A part of her wanted to ignore it, but that's the thing about love, it just won't be ignored.

She breathed a sigh of relief when it wasn't Oliver calling, it was the hospital.

"Hello"

"Felicity Smoak?"

"Yes, speaking."

"It's Dr. Hanna, I just wanted to confirm your visit tonight."

"Yes, I know its late, but I really need to see him. And I haven't been to see him in a while. I know its late, I can come another time-"

"Felicity, of course come and see him. I just wanted to let you know that we don't have any spare guests rooms, but I have someone putting a small sofa in his room if that's ok."

"Yes, thank you."

"And I would like to discuss some other matters if your up to it as well."

"Absolutely." And she disconnected.

Chapter TWO

"Emily."

"Megan, sir, my name is Megan. Emily was your temp this morning" The temp agency had sent three secretaries yesterday and he was already working on the latest.

"Yes, sorry. I need the print outs of the quarterly budget, as well as the projected profit margins."

"I'll get right on it." Megan enthused, and then quickly added, "that's for this quarter Mr. Queen."

He had turned his back to go back in his office, but a sudden urge to bash his head against the glass wall came over him, and with great restrain he stopped himself. He slowly turned his head instead. "Yes, this quarter." Before moving into his office and closing his door. When he sat down, he grabbed the telephone and called the one person who should be having a hard time like himself.

"Oliver?"

"Digs, I need you to find where she is."

"Felicity?"

Oliver raised his eyes to the ceiling, "yes Felicity." There was a pause at the other end of the line. "What?"

"Oliver she asked for a couple of days, I'm sure she'll be back tomorrow morning."

"I won't make it that long."

"Temps giving you a hard time," he laughed.

"Well I can't imagine you're getting along much better." Again the pause, "What?" Oliver had an edge to his voice.

"Actually Barry is helping me keep up, he's got it covered."

"Great, and how are his typing skills, I might need him up here."

"I don't think you have Felicity up there with you for her typing skills." Before Dig made another comment Oliver hung up and leaned back in his chair. He couldn't wait here for her. It was making him crazy. And if your going to pretend to be a lazy playboy, you had to keep up appearances. Grabbing his suit jacket he breezed past the temp.

"Mr. Queen?! Um, where are you going.?"

"Out." He pushed the elevator door, and it pinged instantly, thanking above powers that he wouldn't have to bear anymore of Em-Megan's voice. The door opened and Isabel stood with her arms crossed. Damn above powers.

"Leaving after only a half day Oliver?" Her eyebrow raised.

"Need to," he paused to think of something suitable "see to my family." She didn't buy it, he knew and she knew it, but nothing more was said. The elevator ride down was excruciating. When the doors opened he moved past towards the doors.

His phone vibrated in his jacket. It was Dig.

"Yeah?"

"I'm here downstairs, I pinged Felicity's phone, she's at the hospital."

He spotted Dig before he hung up and hurried to the car. Hospital?! She's out of his sight for less than 24 hours, and she's at the hospital?

"I know you might be disappointed. You always thought I was going to be a rocket scientist or neurosurgeon. But I don't mind be an Executive Assistant. Not really, it's a good place to work. I don't know about long-term," she paused a moment to look out at window. It looked into other windows, people going about their everyday life. The sounds of the medical machines filled the air. She looked back at the guy in the bed. He had believed in her so heartedly for all those years before tragedy had taken him away.

"Like I was saying not long-term. I think my days are numbered because-" Even now she couldn't bring herself to say it. Like if it remained unspoken it could be ignored.

"Because?" The voice behind her asked. She turned and looked into the blue eyes that haunted her.

"Oliver? What are doing here?"

"Dig pinged your phone, and I got worried when it came back you were in the hospital."

"You shouldn't have come here. I told you a needed a couple of days." He didn't argue, he looked to the patient laying silently in the bed. His hair a dark shade of brown, his eyes were blue as well, but she was one of the few people who knew that. Since being admitted his eyes had remained closed, his body completely at rest as the machines pushed and pulled his body to keep living.

"Please leave."

"Felicity," Oliver sighed, "I think we need to start over again."

She gave him a curious look. "About Barry. I think I need to give you a chance to fully explain yourself, and why you chose to do what you did."

She raised an eyebrow at that, "the temps can't be that bad."

And for the first time, in a long time, he smiled back at her. He moved more into the room and went to sink into the sofa when he noticed the bed sheets. "Did you sleep here last night?" His voice gentle, but only she picked up on the edges of it. He was irritated again.

"Yes."

"Why?'

"Because they didn't have any more beds available."

Oliver moved to her other side. "Are you going to tell me who this is." She shook her head no, and looked up to him. He looked like a Greek god standing in front of the window with the afternoon light. It wasn't helping her cause to think of him like that.

"Okay." He tried again, but it didn't sound like it was going to be okay. If she knew Oliver, he would pursue it. "How about you tell me why is it you think that your days at Queen Consolidated are over?" Was there a hint of regret in his voice?

She was ready for this she mentally told herself, she had practiced this conversation in her head over and over. "You said it yourself Oliver. You can't trust me. And that's the bottom line. If you don't trust me, how can I be any help to you. I would always be just a liability. So I think its best if I just leave the team. Clean break and all that." Part of her was impressed how she held her eyes to his, how her voice didn't waiver. But now that the words were said, there was no taking them back.

"You don't mean that. Felicity we said things in the heat of anger-"

"Oliver, I meant every word." She began stroking the hand resting on the bed. "I think I need a break from everything for awhile."

"So your not coming back with me?"

She shook her head no as she stared intently on the man resting finding courage in his breathing.

"Ms. Smoak?" Dr Hanna called from the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt but I do need to speak to you for a few minutes. When you have a minute."

"Of course Doctor." Felicity tried one brave smile, "you shouldn't have come here. You need to go." Oliver just smiled a tight smile and one slow nod. His eyes searched hers for a weakness, but she wouldn't give him that. This needed to happen, the small amount of pain now, or a much greater pain when one day he wouldn't cheat death.


	2. Chapter 2

"Remember when I told you to leave her alone for a few days?"

"Yes Diggle, I remember." The man had a way of beating a dead horse.

"And now she's decided that she's not coming back," and after a short pause, "for good. She's left, and she's not coming back."

"Yes, that is what she said." Oliver decided to turn his attention away from the computer screen and face him. He knew his friend was pissed. Hell, he was pissed at himself. But he needed to move on from this, he needed to focus on something else. If he let himself become consumed by this emotion he wouldn't be any good to anybody. "Look Dig, I just need to focus right now."

Dig sighed, shaking his head. "Ok so we should look at the surveillance cameras, see if we can spot anything out of the ordinary."

"Did that. Nothing caught my eye."

"Well I'll have a look," Dig sat down and readjusted the chair from Felicity's petite frame to accommodate his more larger one. "The police are also looking into it as well, but I haven't picked up any information over the police scanners that we don't already have."

"The police are looking into this as well."

"Yeah, the police." Dig turned to look up at his friend saw the confusion written all over the billionaire's face, "you might need some rest, come back later."

"Why are the police looking into this?" Dig stopped what he was doing. "Why?!" Dig put up his hands in surrender.

"Oliver, relax. What's gotten into you? Police generally look into bank robberies."

"Bank robberies?"

"Yeah three banks were robbed today at the same time, the same way, and made off with the same amount of cash." Dig turned to the computer screen punched a few keys, and three videos popped up showing three men in each bank. All three men in each of the bank secured the bank, locking themselves in, gunfire, and a cloud of smoke. Once the screen came back into focus there was no sign of the robbers, only the customers coughing and struggling to get back to their feet. "Oliver what's wrong? Is it about Felicity?"

"I was looking into something else is all." Oliver evaded.

"OK, like what."

"There's a man in a hospital, I need a background check on, but his records are sealed."

"And without Felicity, hacking isn't one of our options." Jon finished, "I get it. Let me look into it, I can go there without being noticed and see what I can find out."

"Thanks Dig."

"You got a name."

"No, he's in room 314, a patient of Dr. Hanna."

Felicity looked back at the help ads for the fourth time this morning. Her eyes still hurt from the tears last night, her head still spinning with her current situation. What was she thinking? She just quit her job. When she needed one the most, she just bailed. How was she going to pay her rent, put gas in her car? It was so unlike her, it felt like she was turning into someone else.

On the other hand it was easier not having to face Oliver everyday, and she didn't have to worry about her feelings for him growing any further. Out of sight out of mind right? So where did that leave her. She looked down at the paper again.

Could she be a waitress at Outback? Probably. But she needed more money than minimum wage plus tips. Pinching the bridge of her nose she tried to calm herself.

The TV announced in the background, "…and in other breaking news, three bank robberies happened earlier this morning at the same time, are leaving police asking for the public's help. If you have any information the police are urging you to come forward and contact them."

Felicity looked up and saw grainy black and white images. The robbers had successfully concealed their identity with all black ski masks. What was surprising was the number of robbers, nine in total. She shook her head; at least Oliver and Diggle would be busy. Part of her wished she was there too, the part of her that wanted to do more than change user passwords and help them format their documents. Best to move on from that, sooner than later.

Looking back she over the ads, she turned the page. At the top was a small and short ad.

**Wanted: computer security specialist. Contract, must be good with comp. work well with deadlines. Call for interview 390-876-5532.**

There was no company listed, no additional information whatsoever. Just the phone number. Picking up the phone she dialed the number.

"Hello?" A male voice answered.

"Hello, I'm calling about the ad in the paper. For the computer security specialist. Is it still open?"

"Yeah, yeah. You need to come in for an interview."

"The ad didn't specify hours, term of contract or wage-"

"If you're hired, then you work until the job's done. There is a bonus, $20,000 when the jobs' done." His accent told her he was Hispanic, his tone told her he meant business.

"Should I send you my resume?"

"No, no. Bring it with you. But interviews are tonight at 7:00. At the docks, near wharf 12 the building is 390." The call ended abruptly. Every nerve in her body was telling her not to go. And that part of her, the part she cut off yesterday was saying she had to.

Bringing up a satellite image of the wharf she tried to get a good view of the building. It looked runned down, there were several exits, two side doors, the roof, and two loading docks. A title searched showed that it was once, maybe, possibly, owned by the Triad, but the city had since claimed ownership after the shell company claimed bankruptcy. It should have been vacant; it should not be a place where single white females go for an interview.

Pushing her glasses up her nose, she tried to formulate a plan. If she were at Verdant she would be surrounded by two brilliant master planners. She would naturally follow their lead, but here at her kitchen table, she did not have their expertise. She knew she was going; she couldn't balk at $20,000.00. She needed that money, not just for her but for him as well. She didn't want to think about what Dr. Hanna had said about the trust not being able to cover the costs of keeping him alive. If she didn't have $50,000.00 by the end of the month his life support would be turned off.

The conversation played over and over in her head.

_"I'm sorry to have to tell you this. But the insurance company went bankrupt. There is no more money in the trust to continue to fund his situation." _

_She hated when people referred to his situation. His situation should have been varsity football. His situation should have been different. If she hadn't been in his life, he would be drinking beers, maybe taking a girl out to a movie, he wouldn't be half alive half dead. _

_"I can get the money."_

_"But you have to consider the month after that and – "_

_"I can get the money. And I'll figure out the rest." She had turned and walked out of Dr. Hanna's office. _

OK, reasons for a computer security interview being at the wharf; perhaps the city was turning the building into a viable space for housing sensitive information. Or, the city was leasing the space and wanted a quick set up for tenants.

She glanced at the clock, the interviews wouldn't start for hours. She had enough time to stake out the place. If it looked like trouble was walking through the doors, then she would simply drive away. If it was legit she would walk in there and give the interview of a lifetime.

She moved quickly, changing, pulling her hair up, printing out her resume, grabbing her keys and purse she made for the door. What was the worst thing that could happen, she asked herself.


	3. Chapter 3

Oliver answered his phone without looking at the display.

"Oliver, what exactly am I looking for about this guy?"

"Anything and everything." Oliver looked across the room at Isabel who was giving him a hard stink eye. He motioned at the phone and gracefully left the boardroom. Only a few of the members even paid him any notice. "What did you find?"

"Oh I found something very interesting."

Oliver waited a minute, "are you going to tell me what it is."

"I think you already know." When Oliver didn't respond Jon continued. "Apparently this guy only has one regular visitor for the past five years. Any guesses on who that might be?"

Oliver cleared his throat, "yeah I can guess."

"OK Oliver, time to tell me what's really going on. Why do you have me collecting information on a guy in coma and not on the robbers who made off with millions?"

Because he couldn't come up with a quick retort he simply added, "it's important to me."

"Look there isn't much to tell. His name is Joshua Tate, 28 years old, white, only child, parents deceased. He was admitted five years ago. I did a quick background check after finding out our girl was his only visitor and found that they went to the same high school together. Maybe high school sweethearts? I don't know much else than that. They're pretty tight-lipped around here."

He thought a moment before responding, "meet me back at Verdant, let's have a look at those men in black, see if we can't find a lead and toss it to our boys in blue." He disconnected the call. Why was he so consumed by that guy? And why was Felicity visiting him over the last five years. And more importantly why did it even matter.

As he slipped back into the meeting he felt like he was getting a little bit closer to getting his girl Friday back. He watched the clock until the meeting was over, a few of the members stayed to chat but he quickly left before he was sidelined into a conversation that would make him late for his meeting with Dig.

"Mr. Queen, I just have a quick question." His ninth assistant immediately questioned as he stepped into the hallways. He had stopped learning their names yesterday; he only referred to them as a number.

"Alright, but I have only a few minutes before I'm expected…somewhere else."

"I have the last payment for your assistant Felicity Smoak. I thought everyone did automatic billing these days."

"I asked for the cheque to be made out and sent to my office."

"Of course, I uh…should I send it via post?"

"No, I'll take care of it, thank you." He took the white envelop. He refused to look at number nine as he made a beeline for the elevators.

"Mr. Queen your lunch appointment…"

"Needs to be rescheduled." He flashed his playboy smile before closing the steel doors.

The thing about stake outs is that they're boring. She had sat in her car since noon, and there hadn't been a single person in or out of the building. Maybe she had imagined the whole thing. That's what spending every waking moment with Oliver had done, heightened her sense of doom, she was suffering from her own form of PTSD. How was she going to function in the real world?

The building looked abandoned. Maybe it was a hoax. No job, no $20,000.00, just her luck anyway. She almost jumped out of her skim when her phone vibrated.

"Hello?"

"Felicity, its Oliver." She pulled the phone away from her ear and glared at it.

"Oliver, I'm in the middle of something. I can't talk right now."

"I'm calling in regards to your severance with Queen Consolidated, there are some loose ends that need to be tied up."

"Oh," she hadn't expected that. "Is there something wrong?"

"Besides the fact that you refuse to talk with me."

"Oliver I can't talk to you about this right now, like I said I'm in the middle of something." She could practically hear his temper sizzle. "Maybe we can catch up some other time." She offered.

"Excellent. I've added you as my guest to a benefit that my mother is having."

"Benefit for what?"

"Am I really supposed to know that."

"I guess not," she laughed, "when should I meet you."

"I can send a car for you at 9." He offered.

"Don't bother, I can get there myself." She ended the call. Paused. And banged her head against the steering wheel. This was not supposed to happen. She needed to stay away from Oliver. In the last few minutes, she could feel her heart race and butterflies in her stomach. The way she felt about Oliver was carefully tucked away this morning, and after talking to him now it was out of the box. Shaking her head, he would know as soon as she looked at him tonight if she didn't reign it back in.

A tap on the window made her shriek and jump. A man standing with his hands in his pockets looked like he wasn't impressed to be seeing her. Rolling the window down a half-inch, she smiled.

"I'm waiting for someone."

"Who?" He asked, he wasn't the same man she spoke to on the phone.

"Uh- an interview, it's not until much later, but I get nervous about these things, and I'm here a bit early."

"Interviews start at 7." He stated matter of fact.

"Right." She glance at the digital display, "I'm almost four hours early." They were at a bit of stand still. He looked like he was prepared to stand there until 7. He wasn't wearing a flashing neon sign saying 'Bad Guy', but there was something about his eyes she didn't trust. His smile seemed forced. Maybe if she had met him in another setting she wouldn't be as suspicious. He was almost handsome, except for a white scar on the left side of his face.

"Look, I know the guys doing the interviews. Let's go and see if you can't start yours early." Against her better judgement she got out of the car.

"Alright let's do that." They walked to the door, and he banged twice, when the door opened she couldn't see in, but he turned for her to lead the way. The building smelled dusty and wet, it took some time for her eyes to adjust, but there wasn't much to see.

"It's on the second floor." The mezzanine held two other guys standing casually talking and one turned when he saw them.

"What's going on?" She recognized the Hispanic voice immediately. He was tall was her first thought, taller than Oliver, and seemed to command the room with his size.

"We have an early interviewees."

"Come up," the second man walked away. She was lead into a smaller office with one chair, desk, and the familiar hum of the computer didn't give her any comfort.

"I brought my résumé." She handed it over to the man who barely glanced at it and held it to the other who had walked her in.

"Have a seat." He motioned to the chair. She walked unsteadily and sat down facing both of them. Her gut was pounding out a mantra of "I told you so, bad idea, I told you so." But she swallowed hard. "We are looking for someone to …" the man indicated to the other who was absorbed reading her résumé. "Kal?"

After a few moments, "yes, well, we are needing a computer analyst to help us with some sensitive information." Kal said, still flipping through the résumé. "You went to MIT."

"Yes," she managed.

"And you graduated MIT at the age of 19." He looked at her. His eyes continued to betray smile. "How was that?"

"I graduated high school at the age of 16." When they continued to study her she added, "I'm a fast learner."

"You worked for Queen Consolidated as well." The Hispanic man raised an eyebrow at her. "Both in the IT department and as Mr. Oliver Queen's Executive Assistant." They both seemed pleased with the information. Maybe a little to pleased.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch the name of the company I'm interviewing for." She laughed. Both looked at each other, and then back at her. She could have sworn the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. "Maybe I should come back at the specific time." She added nervously, "I don't feel very prepared."

"Were you fired from QC?" The question and the term QC shocked her for a moment.

"No, I just had… Well Oliver, I mean Mr. Queen…actually, what I'm trying to say is that it wasn't the right fit anymore." She pushed her glasses higher on her face, and still tried to remain calm, "professionally I mean. It wasn't the right fit."

"Of course," Kal added, "I think you will be a right fit here." He handed the other man the résumé. "Please call me Kal, and this is Jose. You will only be working mainly along side myself. But Jose is more of the 'manager' per se."

"I don't even know what work you were specifically looking for."

"Well," he lowered himself so they were eye level, "it looks like your job description just got rewritten."

"I don't understand."

"Tell me something, how does an IT Analyst get promoted to Executive Assistant?"

"Hard work?" She offered.

He shook his head, "no I don't believe that is how. I think Mr. Queen added you to his penthouse office for an entirely different reason."

"And if I told you that you were mistaken."

"Felicity," her name sounded sinister coming from him, "I think you and I need to start being honest with each other." Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Jose carefully pulling a gun from under his jacket. "Now, tell me why you left QC yesterday?"

Once, a long time ago her mother gave her sage advice, _"if you are ever in a jam, and don't know what to do. Tell the truth, if for no other reason it is the easiest thing to remember."_

"I have feelings for Oliver. And not the professional kind."

"And Oliver?"

"I don't know… I just…"she tried again, "why are you interested in Oliver?" She had a hard time taking her eyes off of the gun no more than two feet away but she did.

"And Oliver?" He asked again.

"Oliver thinks of me as a friend, or maybe a sister, I don't know. It wasn't a sharing moment." Glad to have some of her snark back.

He smiled at her, patiently, studying her face. She felt every hair on her body stand up. Standing he nodded to Jose who quietly left them alone.

"You see my associates and I have come a large amount of money, and we needed to move it. And the way things are…for us at the moment, well it would have been more…involved." He paused to pull out a cigarette at the tiny flame highlighted the scar. "Now it seems it won't be so difficult."

"I won't hurt him."

"You will do as I ask."

"If you think that my self-preservation will undermine my loyalty to someone I… care about, you are mistaken."

"Felicity, let's not be dramatic." His tone was weary, "I haven't suggested anything of the sort."

"What would you ask of me then?" If he wanted to play this game, she would have to as well, for the time being.

"Do you still speak with him? Any chances you might be able to met up with him soon?"

For a moment she thought about lying, and in the same moment his eyes hardened. She had to face the fact that to him, she was an open book. "Tonight at 9. A benefit at his home."

"Perfect." He took a drag and slowly blew the smoke, "I'll be attending with you as your…boyfriend."

"He knows I'm not seeing anyone."

"A lot can change in a day don't you think?"


	4. Chapter 4

Oliver watched the video again and again. There was something familiar, he couldn't put his thumb on it, but he knew he was staring straight at it. The robbers were like robots. It was almost uncanny the similarities. The way they moved, the taking of hostages, even the method to get the cashier to open the vault, exactly the same. Becoming frustrated he looked up at Diggle.

"Do you think these guys are army?"

"Maybe, I thought of that too. These guys operate as a team; as one unit." Coming closer to the computer console he points at the image. "And how they take over the bank, its like it's rehearsed. They must have done or practiced this before. They definitely have training." Oliver came to the same conclusion. But knew that after a in depth history scan this was a first for this kind of robbery. He looked over at Barry, hunched over another computer.

"And then when you break it down, nine guys, and what was it 7 million in cash. That's not a big score when you consider that the banks had more cash on hand." Oliver added

"That's what has the police scratching their heads. These guys knew what they were doing, but what kind of bank robbers only steal some of the cash?" Diggle questioned.

"What's he working on?" Nodding towards Barry.

"I passed on the information of our friend in the hospital. He's been working on something non stop since I told him how important he is to Felicity."

He could relate. "Barry anything yet?" The young man looked up and quickly nodded.

"I was able to obtain Joshua Tate's medical history. Long story. Anyway, I'm using my family contacts, they're all doctors, to see if there is anyway we can use the stem cell research in a neurological method using his own immune cells. It looks promising. But…"

"But?"

"It's not cheap."

"I guess that's where I come in," Oliver half grinned, "whatever the cost make sure its paid for by me." And thinking about it a moment more, "and make sure its done so anonymously."

"Your that scared of an IT analyst?" Diggle teased, they both grinned, because the truth was, they both were a little.

"Oh, also, for what its worth," Barry added, "it was insinuated that Mr. Tate's life support was scheduled to be turned off –"

"Make sure that doesn't happen." Oliver interrupted. Turning to Dig, "and find out more about this guy. Why is he in the hospital? And get me the connection to Felicity." Oliver turned for the door.

"Where are you going?" Dig asked.

Picking up the white envelope and tucking it into the left pocket of his tux, "I'm off to a ball," with a roll of his eyes he left them.

By the time he arrived the festivities were in full swing. He stopped by his mother and Thea to let them know he had arrived. After quick scan of the room he noticed that Felicity wasn't there. A rise of disappointment settled into his chest. She said she would be here, she would. Of that he was certain. Deciding to get a drink at the bar, and scanned the room once more.

He noticed her immediately. The long black sleeveless gown with the slit up the thigh, her hair hanging loose, and for a moment he was unexpectedly stunned by her. And then he saw the hand, the hand that was possessively holding her elbow. His eyes followed the hand up to the face, and he recognized him from somewhere. He couldn't put a name to the face.

When he caught her gaze he saw the trepidation, there was something wrong. He casually walked over to his guests, not bothering with a customary smile.

"Felicity, glad you could make it." His eyes traveled to piece of shit holding her like she was property. Women like Felicity were meant to be touched with care and respect. "I don't think we've met." He extended his arm.

"Kal." He shook his hand. "Glad Felicity asked me to come this evening." Oliver raised his eyebrows and looked at Felicity who had the look of a doe caught between a bear and a pack of wolves.

"Funny she never mentioned she was bringing a guest." He pointedly looked at her.

"Last minute I know. But we've recently just met each other." His arm linked around her waist pulling her tighter to his side. "We don't want to take up any more of your time Mr. Queen."

Oliver smiled tightly, _charming prick._

"Mind if I steal her away for a moment." He reached for her other arm.

"Actually, I do." Kal turned her away and led her through other guests towards the terrace. Oliver watched them go and caught Felicity turn and shake her head slowly, with the same terrified look. It was clearly a signal not to follow, which he had every intention of ignoring but felt his phone vibrate.

"Hello," he answered, while never taking his eyes off Felicity and _Kal_. "What's up?"

"Just thought I would let you know that I heard over the police scanners. Looks like our robbers have a bit of a problem on their hands." Jon said.

"What's that?" He asked, totally disinterested. His whole being was focused on Felicity, and watching that guy tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Looks like the money was tagged, specifically in the event that it was stolen."

"All money is tagged one way or another." Kal let his hand fall and rest on her shoulder, and slowly slide down her arm, Oliver found himself gritting his teeth.

"But the money from all three banks, was stolen from one specific person." Oliver was barely paying attention; Kal looked up and spotted him staring, and leaned down whispered something in her ear.

"Point?" Oliver's patience had officially run out.

"You are the owner Oliver, and your mother and sister as well."

"What? I don't have any accounts in those banks, that I'm aware of."

"No, but your father left them in trust. In the event of his death, and if there ever was a need, was how the bank manager clarified it." Jon finished.

Before Oliver could respond, he watched Kal pull Felicity towards the stairs leading to the side gardens and Felicity pulled back. That's all it took, he was done being a voyeur he ended the call, pushed past the crowd keeping his eyes trained on Felicity. When he reached the glass doors Kal had managed to get her down the stairs, but he knew the grounds well, it wouldn't take him long to neutralize the situation.

"Felicity?" He called as he reached the terrace edge. Nothing, not a sound. Being hunted on an island for five years gave him enough knowledge to pause. Let his eyes adjust, become aware of his surroundings, the rage was there, as it always was, a few more breaths and it was contained, waiting for a chance to explode. And so he moved down the stairs, on high alert, ready.

He made his way through the dimly lit walkway. He caught the first punch easily, twisted the arm and silenced the expected scream of pain with an upper cut to the throat. He felt a second man before he saw him. A wild kick aimed at his torso, also easily avoid with a firm grip on his ankle, and twist until he heard the pop, while using the man's momentum to turn him upside down, and with a solid kick to the lower spin Oliver knew he would be down for a few minutes.

"Enough Oliver." The voice whispered, "you've made your point." Oliver looked in the direction of the voice, not surprised to see Kal standing holding Felicity.

"Let her go."

"I don't think so."

"Whatever you want, I'll give you, but you have to let her go."

"I don't _have_ to do anything. That was a nice show you just put on for us. Get in the trunk." Kal motioned to a lone car parked on the edge of the long driveway. The trunk opened expectedly. Two more men stood waiting. Oliver knew his chances of getting out with minimal injury was good, but what about Felicity?

As if reading his mind Kal twisted and turned Felicity's arm upward. Her sharp scream filled his ears. He knew that if Kal pressed her arm up any further, he would effectively dislocate her arm.

"Stop."

"Then get in." He said simply.

"And you let her go."

"Oh no, I'm going to be keeping her as incentive for your good behaviour." Two other appeared behind him, both carrying hand guns aimed at his back.

"Oliver-" Felicity tried before Kal tightened his grip once more. Kal nodded to them and the two men quickly frisked him and tossed his cell into the bushes.

"Move." Oliver moved towards the car, and both men shoved him into the cramped space. He straightened himself just as Felicity was pushed in on top of him. Her hair cascading everywhere, legs and limbs entwined with his own. "You two need to catch up anyway." And the lid slammed shut.

The car immediately pulled away, and the darkness closed in on them. Her body pressed on top of his, and with the motion of the car made it difficult for him not to feel every inch of her. Wrapping one hand around her waist he was able to steady the rocking, and the other tentatively felt for her face, brushing away her hair.

"Oliver," her voice quivered. "I screwed up big time." He could tell she was close to loosing her composure. "I thought it was to good to be true. I should have never went to the wharf, I should have just applied for the waitress gig."

"Felicity," he tried to calm her, pulling her head down to his chest. "I'm just glad your saying more than two sentences to me."

"This isn't funny Oliver," she admonished, and sighed heavily, "it was a $20,000 bonus. And I need the money… for a friend."

"Joshua Tate?"

"How do you…" she started but stopped. They knew each other to well by now, of course he looked into him. "The doctor told me they were going to turn off his life support. His trust had run out. I didn't know what else to do."

"To bad you don't have any friends that are billionaires."

Felicity scoffed, "I'm not talking about borrowing money to pay my rent Oliver. I'm not comfortable with you lending me that kind of money… for an unknown amount of time." The confession wasn't easy, but necessary for her and he could understand it. Before the island, all his problems were usually solved with money, and on the island he had to learn some hard truths of what money couldn't buy. And a small part of him found comfort that she didn't consider him her personal ATM, while the other wanted to shout at her until she understood, that no amount of money would ever equal her worth to him.

"Tell me everything." He asked, and she did, with all the details that she could remember. About the Ad, the stake out, and Jose.

"I think they work for Queen Consolidated."

"Why?"

"They refer to it as QC."

And the final puzzle shifted into place QC was standard security abbreviation. And suddenly it all made sense but all he could think, all he could manage to say was "Damn it!"

Having to lay on top of Oliver Queen, handsome playboy billionaire wasn't the worst situation she could have found herself in. After some positioning, it was more comfortable for both if she laid fully on top, one leg draped to the side of his body, and his arms wrapped around her. She felt safe, she felt like everything might be OK.

"Tell me how stupid I was."

"No."

"Tell me that you can't believe I was that naïve after everything we have been through."

"Felicity, stop."

"I should be seeing flames coming from your eyes, and smoke from your ears."

He didn't respond but moved his hands up and down her back, trying to comfort her. But all that was doing was making her yearn for more touches, more and more. Biting her lip she tried to ignore the heat that was spreading through her body. _Turn off!_ Her mind commanded her body. _Turn off!_

"Felicity."

"Yes."

"You know that I'm not going to let anything happen to you right?" She nodded into his chest. "When the car stops, I don't want you to be brave and try take one of these guys down, or run, or scream. Just do as they say." This was so unlike him she moved her head a fraction upwards. She couldn't see him in the darkness, but she still made the attempt.

"What do you mean, we're just going to let them… hurt us?" She managed.

"No one is going to hurt you." Unexpectedly, he moved his face closer to hers and touched his lips to her forehead. Her heart did a somersault dive into her stomach, but she managed to take her next breath. "I think I know what they want from me."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Oliver, look at where we are, because of me. You have to tell me something." When her question was met with only silence, she tried again. "Please, trust me once more. I won't let you down."

Finally he answered. "Felicity, since I've met you there hasn't been one moment where I ever questioned your loyalty, faith and courage. What I said about Barry, was about…something else entirely. I mishandled the situation completely." The car slowed its speed. "Looks like we're coming to our destination."

"Tell me."

"These men, they work for me. Or they used to" Oliver quickly replied, as the car came to a complete stop. She could hear the doors opening and closing, voices sounded above them.

"Work for you?"

The trunk opened and two men pulled her up and out, one held her firmly in front of him while the other kept a gun trained on Oliver as he pulled himself out. She was aware what they saw was a spoiled rich kid, but she saw something else entirely. A wolf wearing the guise of a lamb, playing a part. Until he was certain his prey were lulled into their own sense of security. And when the time was right, their pain would be swift.

"Ok you two, let's go inside. Don't try anything stupid Queen." Kal warned standing next to her, taking her arm once again she felt the pinch of his grasp and let herself be pulled towards the door.

Once inside, the group led them towards the back of the building where Jose stood waiting. His arms crossed he didn't look happy, and she had to consciously control a shiver running down her spin.

"Problems?"

"Yeah, Queen got a little to excited and took Rick and Jimmy down. They aren't going to be any use to us anymore." Kal paused to look back at Oliver, "looks like he's been brushing up on those self-defense moves you tried to teach him."

Jose didn't seem impressed one way or the other. "Oliver or should I say _Firebird_. Sorry to have to meet again under these circumstances." Oliver chose to remain silent. "I want you to know that this isn't personal, but it can be." Jose moved closer to Kal, and before she knew it his hand wrapped around her throat and she slammed up against the wall. "Do you want it to be personal Oliver?" His large hands easily held her neck, and flex of his muscle slowly closed her airway. Closing her eyes concentrating on getting what little air she could.

"Let her go!" Oliver shouted, the others must have held him back but her vision had become blurred by tears. But it would be a draw on how long they would be able to do it. "I said let her go!"

As his hand relaxed she felt her own body start to spasm from shock, and without the support of his arm she felt herself sink to the ground, and worse, feel the tears fall down her cheeks.

"I want you to understand, that none of these men are loyal to you or your family." He paused. "So don't try to appeal to them for to escape."

"I wouldn't waste my time. Do you think you can kidnap me from my home, and nobody will notice."

Jose moved so that he was directly in front of Oliver. "I'm going to spare you the details. But it's a little known fact that you slip your security detail; that you are gone for hours and no one knows where you go. I think I have a good 24 hours before people start to asking questions."

"Maybe before you robbed the banks that held my family's wealth. But the police are going to be all over this. You won't get away with what you've done." Jose and his men were silent. It was all down to timing she thought, and they knew it as well.

"The banks open tomorrow…you will be escorted into the bank and you will unlock the rest, do you understand?" Oliver stared not replying.

"If you so much as sound an alarm, make any attempt for help, pull any of that bullshit on my men like you did tonight. I will personally break her bones one by one." Jose paused for effect. "Do you understand?"

"Yes." Oliver bit out.

"Lock them up in there," Jose ordered, "and I don't want anyone to open that door until we are ready to move. Understood?"

They must have understood but nobody said a word. Kal yanked her to her feet and she was pushed into the room, followed by Oliver who immediately wrapped his arms around her, steadying her. The door slammed shut, and they were alone.

It looked like it was a freezer room at one time. Unusually large, but the smell of dead carcass still wafted. There was only one light that permitted a soft glow, and nothing else. Four walls, one ceiling and one floor.

"Are you alright? Let me see." His fingers gingerly touching her neck. His eyes filled with concern.

"What is this about?" She asked when she found her voice.

Oliver pulled her into his embrace, and she could hear the steady thudding of his heart. "Before the island my father was adamant about security. Always telling us that we needed to be ready in case of an emergency, or a disaster. Back then neither Thea or myself paid any attention." He pulled back and tentatively wrapped his jacket around her shoulders, and started to walk her to the far wall. "He hired private security, separate from the standard security. Honestly, at the time I thought it was over kill, a pain in the ass." He let her sit first and then joined her, his thigh barely grazing hers. "He kept saying if anything happened to the city we would be protected."

"The bombing of the Glades."

"It must have been what he was talking about. He knew it was going to happen, if Malcolm Merlin had his way, and he wanted us protected. I never made the connection. We only did the drills maybe three times, but something looked familiar to me."

"What?"

"The video of the bank robberies. There were different protocols for different scenarios. In one, the drill was based on mass chaos and the security team was to essentially rob the bank." He paused and closed his eyes.

"And then?" She pressed.

"Then they were to take us to a safe location, as far as I can remember."

"That doesn't seem so bad."

"Because it's the second protocol that I'm worried about. If the money was already stolen, mother, Thea and I would be able to access our off shore accounts that held a majority of our personal wealth. Wealth that was located all over the world in different holdings. Fine art, rare artifacts, jewels, that kind of thing, would be essentially unlocked and made available to us. It's a different kind of wealth, essentially untraceable, once on the black market."

"A lot easier to unload than serialized bills."

"Exactly."

"But why?"

"My thoughts, is my father knew that if what happened to the Glades we would be a target, and we would need to go underground."

"How do you access it?"

"One of us would have to go to the bank and enter specific information."

She shook her head, it didn't make sense, "how is that any more protected than a bank?"

"Because the specific information would require a retinal scan, audio signature, blood pressure to determine duress, and the sequence of information is timed specifically. If any of it doesn't match, the holdings are locked down, and government agencies are notified."

She thought for a minute before asking, "what did they want with a computer analyst?"

Oliver shrugged, "my guess is that they wanted to see if they could break the code from outside the bank." He looked over at her. "This started long before you went to the wharf. They knew that money was just sitting there. It was only a matter of time."

She appreciated the notion. "They wouldn't have been able to get to you so easily if it hadn't been for me."

He took her hand and squeezed, "if it hadn't been for you, anyone else who showed up would have been murdered. Once they knew you were connected to Queen Consolidated, they hedged their bets."

"For a moment, in the garden I thought you were going to turn into your alter ego." She looked down at her hand still resting in his.

"In this case, it's better to be the billionaire. Trust me."

"I trust you." She bit her lower lip. "but…"

He turned to face her, with a scowl, "but?"

"Firebird? Really? Your code name is a car."

His laugh eased the knot it her stomach that had amassed since she watched him fighting for his life. "I had a car thing back then."

"Diggle is probably looking for us."

"And Queen's Consolidated security, and the police, and Barry" Oliver added ruefully and pulled her closer, "don't worry about anything. Try and rest. Because the next time that door opens we're going to try and get out of here."

He didn't have to tell her, they had careful concealed their identities at the bank, but here they didn't make any attempt to do so. They had no intention of letting them live.


	5. Chapter 5

His entire left arm no longer had any feeling whatsoever. But he wasn't about to move an inch; he would let the damn thing fall off before he woke her up. She had fallen asleep some time ago, leaning into him, her head precariously balancing on his shoulder.

As he listened to her soft breathing he was overcome with an emotion he fought hard against. So he could survive. Nobody could understand, and he wouldn't wish it on anyone. But to care, to love, only put him in a position of weakness.

He had told her that someone in his position needed to keep a certain amount of distance, to not be involved with someone he truly cared about. But in his darkest thoughts he knew the real reason. To have someone, someone like Felicity, would open him up. And he needed to be contained. The rage needed to be contained to be harnessed, to be controlled, to survive. How could he be who he needed to be without the rage?

Closing his eyes, and against his better judgement he let himself believe in the possibility of having that someone. The thought had always been there, edging around his subconscious looking for a way to penetrate the wall he surrounded himself with. And finally, he would let it in, even if only for this one time, he would imagine a life not alone.

"Oliver?" She whispered, half awake half asleep.

"Yeah?"

"How long have I been sleeping?"

"Not long." She moved away from him, massaging her neck. "We should get ready." She looked at him curiously. "You need to take off your high heels. I don't think you'll win any marathons with them on."

"Right, of course." She began to take them off. "So what's our plan of escape?"

"There is going to be at least two of them, but I would put money on three. They're going to expect some kind of fight."

"What do you need me to do?"

"I need you not to get killed." She gave him a hard look. "I got this Felicity. All you need to do is stand behind the door, and when they come it, I need you to close it but keep it from locking."

"Got it." She wrapped his jacket firmly around her. "I'm glad you're here. I'm not glad I got you in this mess… what I mean is-"

"I know what you mean." He offered, holding out his hand for her to stand, they stood facing each other. "When I get them down, I want you to run as fast as you can to the rear of the building. Opposite from the way we cam. When you get outside try and get somewhere where its populated."

"What about you?"

"I'll be right behind you."

"I'm not leaving you behind." She protested shaking her head. He pulled her close once more into his embrace.

"I'll be right behind you." Stepping back he added, "and I'm going to have to rip off your dress."

"Pardon me?" She sputtered.

"Just the bottom half, you can keep the top part."

"Your joking right?" She asked, looking a little bit scared.

"Afraid not," he bent, his hand grazing her leg above the knee where the slit in her dress ended. Maybe he imagined a her tremor, but he felt a bolt of electricity through his fingers. "Hold still." He whispered hoarsely, and proceeded to carefully tear away the bottom part of her dress. He then began to tear it again into two longer thinner stripes. When he looked at Felicity she was still looking down at her bare legs. She was now standing before him with more skin than he had ever seen her.

Finally looking at him, "I look like a hooker." She said in a measured tone.

He titled his head to the side, while wrapping one hand with the material, looking thoughtful, "yes but an expensive one."

"This isn't funny." She looked back down again. "Why didn't you rip apart your jacket?"

"I really like that jacket." He handed her a high heel, and moved towards the light bulb. "Get ready."

Felicity moved behind the door, clutching the heel, she nodded. He began to unscrew the light bulb and the room went dark. They stood at opposite ends of the room.

"Oliver?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not leaving this room without you." There wasn't any time to argue, he could hear them on the other side of the wall. His rage was perfectly coiled and controlled. He would not fail.

The door swung open and a blast of light filled the room. Oliver was wrong, there were four of them. One as tall as Jose and armed.

Quickly she moved along the back of the door, as it started to close with its heavy weight. Simultaneously, everything happened at once, gunshots, men yelling, and the sounds of body blows. Hooking the heel of her shoe on the edge of door, she managed to keep the door from closing completely.

Suddenly she felt her legs being kicked out from under her, unable to brace herself and hold on to the shoe she landed hard on the cement floor. Winded she focused on her grasp, she would not let go.

There was still chaos behind her in the darkness, and when she felt a pair of hands on her claw at her back she yelled, "Oliver!" The hands that were on her a few seconds ago were not there now.

"Run!" He ordered.

Without warning the door swung open, before she could react she felt large fingers grab at her scalp twisting her hair, pulling her up to her knees.

"What did we tell you about this!" Her head was bent back, but she knew that voice. It was Kal. Her eyes watered, and every nerve in her body screamed in pain, but she made herself look into the room. Oliver stood, blood smeared on his face, and over his white shirt. The other were laying lifeless around him.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Kal held a large semi automatic. The barrel parallel to her face. She swallowed hard, pushing the fear aside, and collecting what little strength she had left.

"Don't even think about it." Oliver warned.

"Do you hear that Felicity? It looks like he does care for you after all." Kal mocked, as she saw the gun move towards her, she brought the high heel up as fast and as hard as she could. Driving the point into his groin.

Kal screamed, doubled over, and shots from the gun shot past her, narrowly missing.

"Felicity!" Oliver was immediately by her side, grabbing at her, turning her to face him. "Let's go! Follow me!" He pulled on her arm. With her other she managed to yank the gun out from under Kal.

The adrenaline pumped through her veins, as she ran behind Oliver. His hand locked onto hers as they both rushed down the long corridor. She spun her head back to see if they were being chased, but couldn't focus. Everything was a blur of colour. Oliver propelled her around a corner and pushed her up against the wall, and he covered his body with hers, the gun pressed between them. His hands framed her face.

"Look at me." His voice sounded wild, and she looked into his eyes, still unable to focus. "Are you hurt? What's wrong?" She felt his heart pound in his chest, or was that hers?

"I think…" she rasped, "I think my contacts fell out." She felt his fingers graze over her lips, and then his lips press against hers, firm and unapologetic. She was overcome by sensation as his lips moved over hers, his hand gently holding her head. Shock and sparks exploding all over her body, never ever had she felt this way.

And just as abruptly he pulled away. "We need to move." Tugging on her hand he moved further down the hallway. She did her best to keep up, to make her mind form practical and logical thought, because her heart had taken over her body and it throbbed with emotion.

"There's a door up ahead. Remember what I said."

"My car… my car is out there." She remembered. "Maybe if we can get to it."

"Alright." He threw his body against the door, and reaching for the gun she was carrying. A blast of morning sun hit her face, momentarily blind she stumbled down the steps.

The familiar pop of gunshot sounded again. Desperately she looked around, getting her bearings. "This way!" She called and moved towards what she hoped would be her car. Running as fast as her she could, she felt Oliver's arm wrap around her waist pulling her to the ground. As they tumbled down, Oliver managed to take most of the impact on his side, swinging them behind a heap of garbage.

"You need to cover me. I'll hotwire the car." Oliver pushed the gun into her hands; she looked up and over and vaguely saw two shapes running towards them.

"OK…OK," without any more prompting she stood, pointed the gun and pulled the trigger. As bullets sprayed out, the force literally pulled her in a circular motion. Oliver grabbed back at the gun before being knocked upside the head.

"Shit! That's a bad idea." Taking back the gun he pushed her forward. "Run." She didn't know how close they were, sheer fear moved her. "Keep running!" Oliver ordered behind her as she neared her car. She moved past it, quickly looking around for an alternative. She couldn't make out her surroundings, and she began to panic.

"Oliver?!"

A few seconds later she felt Oliver's hand push on her back, causing her to fall down. Twisting on the ground she looked up and the two figures were gaining on them, they maybe had less than a minute. Oliver turned back, dropped to his knee, aimed, and fired.

An explosion of fire and smoke filled the air. Debris of metal and glass shot through the air. Oliver turned to look at her, but she couldn't take her eyes off of the mass of destruction.

"You blew up my car?!" Oliver calmly stood back up, looking down at her with his Cheshire grim. "Oh my God! You blew up my car!"

"You saw that huh?"


	6. Chapter 6

The rancid smell of fuel and flesh burning filled his nostrils. He had eliminated the two chasing them; the two from his house, and the other two inside the building weren't going to be bothering them anytime soon. That left three, Kal and Jose, and whoever else they had doing their dirty work. He liked his odds.

"Let's find a phone." Felicity was standing now, the shock on her face was gone but her eyes still wide taking in the scene. He heard the faint sounds of the fire trucks making their way to the wharf.

"Shouldn't we wait? Shouldn't we talk to the police?"

"I need to talk to Diggle. I don't have time to give statements, go to the hospital, and get tied up with bureaucratic bullshit." He came off a little harsh, "if they don't have me, they might try to get to Thea or my mother. I can't let that happen." He reasoned.

"I'll go with you."

There were more reasons for her to stay, she needed medical attention, her legs had scrapes and bruises. She was already compromised by her vision, she would only hold him back if she came. The safest place for her right now was either in police custody or at Verdant. _Shit!_ He still wanted her with him, if for no other reason than she would be with him.

"Let's hurry." He turned and jogged towards another building, equally vacant, equally dingy. There was a faded sign that was barely distinguishable that read 'Maintenance'. "In here!" He broke the glass of the door, and unlocked the door from the inside.

Thankfully there were maintenance crew trucks parked inside. It would be a lot easier for them to evade the first responders by slipping out in one of them, and not by foot. The place looked like it hadn't been used in years, dust everywhere, on the far side in the corner was the only office.

"The keys should be somewhere in that office, see if you can't find them." Felicity made her way over, using her hands to guide her.

Looking around, the gun lowered to his side, his eyes trained for any movement outside. It was only a small chance that they would try to take them now, the police would be here in seconds, their time had run out. But then, desperate people did really stupid things.

"I found them! And a phone!" Felicity called.

"See if you can't get one started. I'm calling Dig." He moved in her direction.

"There's like, fifty keys here?" Oliver looked at the keys tacked up on the wall, the keys appeared to be in no specific order. Grabbing a wooden inbox he pulled them off, tossing them in the box.

"Here, try them all, and try and do it as fast as possible."

"Do you think they're still after us?"

"I think they're busy getting the hell out of dodge right now. But we need to hurry."

Felicity didn't ask any more questions. Quickly moving to the first truck by the garage doors. The office thankfully had a window facing the fleet vehicles, so he could keep his eye on her in case something happened.

Grabbing for the phone he dialed the familiar number.

"Diggle."

"It's me."

"Where the hell have you been? I-"

"We don't have time right now. The bank robbers, they were hired by my father as secondary security."

"What, why?"

"I'm guessing as a precaution in the event he couldn't stop the Glades from being destroyed by Merlin."

"That's why your family accounts were the only ones targeted."

"At last night's benefit Felicity and I were taken hostage."

"Shit Oliver! Where are you?"

"We're okay, but I need you to get my mother and Thea to a safe place. Hide them Dig, so even I can't find them, these guys are good."

"Of course." Diggle assured. "Do you know who they are?"

"Yes one, Jose Rodriguez, and Kal but I don't have a last name."

"I'll get this information to the police."

"Good. But Diggle…don't trust any of QC security. I don't know if this breach goes deeper than just them."

"Felicity?"

"She's fine, she's with me." He watched her trying the keys, and luckily one worked. She gave him a wave.

"Oliver you need to stay low." Diggle reasoned, "let the police do this."

"They came after my family Diggle." His tone was deadly.

"Just give them 12 hours before putting the hood on. Contact me then… we can reassess the situation." It was the better plan, he knew, but he wanted… or he needed to make them pay.

"12 hours, and then I'm coming after them." He promised. Hanging up he went to the garage door, pulling the chain to open it. Moving to the driver side he opened the door. "Move over."

"I thought I would drive."

"You thought wrong."

"I've seen your traffic record, I'm the better driver."

"I don't doubt it, probably as good as firing a gun with 60 rounds per minute, and hitting nothing." She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but must have decided against making it an issue, and slid to the passenger side.

He hadn't closed the door before he slammed the truck into reverse and peeled out of the garage. Felicity made a noise, and clutched at her door. Fire, police, and ambulance were already on scene, a few patrol cars were setting up the perimeter.

"Get down." Obediently Felicity ducked further into the cab. The police officer waved them past and he drove towards the center of the city. "We're clear." Checking his rear view mirror, he could see the smoke, but didn't notice any suspicious vehicles. After a few more turns, and two double backs, he was certain that they weren't being followed.

"Now what?"

"Dig thinks we need to lay low for awhile."

"What do you think?"

He was torn, his instincts told him not to let the bastards think they were going to get away with this. Looking over at her, he knew she would follow him to the depths of hell, but he couldn't do that to her.

"I think billionaire Oliver Queen, would lay low. I don't want to cause any more suspicion on myself then necessary. We give it 12 hours, after that those guys aren't going to know what hit them."

"Alright, so where does one lay low."

"Normally us playboys like to keep it real in the penthouse suite of the Hilton, but unfortunately, we are a little low on funds." She looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "I don't normally carry cash, and my cards were tossed with my wallet last night."

"So what does that mean for us?" Felicity asked.

"It means the 'Hello! Back roads Motel.'"

Felicity smiled tightly, "a hotel huh? Great, that's really great."

Her first impression of the Diamond Motel was genuine surprise. Not by the fact of its size, 6 rooms only. Or that it looked like it was falling apart, and that was with her limited vision. But, by the fact that there were people staying at the place, cars parked and lights on.

"Tell me again why this is the ideal place for us to stay." She wanted to be brave about this, but the hotel was on the edge of the Glades. She could hear the sounds of people yelling from inside the truck. Looking around, she didn't see anybody, but she could almost feel the sense of desperation and the burn of violence.

"This is the last place anyone would look for us." She didn't have to look at him to know he was staring at her, trying to reassure her. "Also, it's easy access to the road, the doors and window give us a good vantage point of the parking lot and other guests. But most importantly, they'll barter."

"Right." She wanted to sound confident, maybe brave even, but he was still looking at her, so she knew she hadn't convinced him of anything. "So, what are we waiting for?"

"I need my jacket."

"Oh!" She pulled at the sleeves. Of course he couldn't walk in there will blood all over his shirt, but could she walk in their with half of her dress?

They got out and walked to the office. Only one man stood at the desk. It wasn't dark out yet, but the office seemed to make it seem like it was the middle of the night.

"We need a room." The man turned, if he recognized Oliver he made no attempt to be surprised. In fact, his whole attention was purely focused on her.

"I bet you do." His voice was sing-song-y in a creepy kind of way. unconsciously, she folded her arms around her, but kept her gaze on his. She had been through a lot in the past day, no way was she going to let a loser like him get the better of her.

Oliver slammed his hand down on the desk, "we need a room." She knew he wasn't messing around anymore; it was going to get physical soon. But the creep didn't seem to notice, or care.

"Room rates are 200 a night, plus damages." The guy looked at Oliver, "I don't need anybody damaging my place."

"200 seems a bit high." She interjected.

"You need a place? Everybody around needs a place. Blast put a lot of people out of their homes." He argued. "They need a place for their families, for their babies..." He was gesturing with his hands. "And you two, yeah you need a place for what?"

It looked bad, even worse when he put it like that.

"I don't have money but-"

"No money no room man! That's the rules!"

Oliver unhooked a wrist watch that was hidden under his jacket. It must have cost thousands of dollars.

"A watch, what do I need a watch for?" The man wasn't going to make it easy.

"How about you take a real good look at this one." Oliver handed it over.

The man eyed him suspiciously and picked up the watch, he nodded at the weight of it, and held it up to view it better.

"I like this watch." He finally said. "I give you one room, one night, that's all." He was already putting it on his wrist.

"And those glasses." Oliver was pointing to the man's shirt.

"Fine." The man tossed the glasses on the desk. "Deal." He turned around and grabbed a set of keys and tossed them on the desk as well. "No damages!" He warned again.

Oliver had already turned and reached for her elbow. They walked out of the office and quickly along the hotel to their room at then end of the building.

"Here," Oliver passed her the glasses, "they're probably the wrong prescription, but I thought it might be worth a try."

Trying on the glasses, they were surprisingly similar to her own, which helped tremendously.

The room was small, but she was expecting that, what she wasn't expecting was only there to be one bed. _One bed_. And now that she was fairly certain that they had lost the Kal and Jose, the kiss they shared, plus there being only_ one bed._ This was definitely going to be awkward. And just as she thought it, Oliver must have clued in because he started acting awkward. Shuffling from one foot to the other.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else." He offered.

"No," she tried to be sensible, "we're here, your watch is with that creep. And it's only one night, right?"

Oliver nodded and moved slowly into the room. It was a throwback to the seventies. A lot of the furniture looked dated, and there was a bathroom in the far corner that looked like it might have a green toilet. "We're adults. This isn't an issue." She continued, but she didn't know where she should continue this to, so her argument died a slow death into a silent void.

"Your right," Oliver turned to face her, "Felicity... about the kiss back there, I just don't want you to feel awkward about staying with me." He rushed his words, which only made her feel worse.

"Oliver, stop!" She put her hands on his arms, and it felt to familiar to her, so she put them back at her sides, "if you can forgive me for getting us into this mess, I can forgive you about that."

They seemed to be in agreement, but the awkwardness still lingered. Did they cross an imaginary line that they couldn't go back? "I'm going to see if I can't clean up a little over there."

"Of course." Oliver seemed lost in thought, so she walked to the bathroom and gently closed the door. Leaning heavily against it, she thought, 'it's only for one night. You can do this. Just one night...in a hotel room...with one bed...with Oliver Queen...oh God.'


	7. Chapter 7

How is it that he was had been born into immense wealth, of endless opportunities and possibilities. And then been stranded on an island, that had stripped him down to the very core of his being. Yet one night, in a hotel room with Felicity Smoak made him feel nervous and…completely off balance.

He heard the water running, and she had only been in there for twenty minutes, and he felt anxious. Like a teenager on his first date with a girl he had dreams about. Stupidly, he paced in front of the tv, then tried laying on the bed, but decided to sit in the chair watching the parking lot. She would never know, but never had so much care gone into making something look careless in the history of Oliver Queen.

"Hey," she tentatively called.

"Hey." He kept his eyes trained on absolutely nothing. But in the reflection of the window he notice her tugging at the hem of her dress. The way her head bent when she looked at him. He felt a surge of heat, and he tried his damnest to ignore it.

"See anything?"

"No," he turned to look at her, "it looks like it's going to be a quiet night. I don't expect any trouble."

"Good." She smiled. She reached to adjust her glasses, more out of habit he thought. "What's this?" She picked up the envelope that was poking out of his jacket laying on the bed.

"It's for you. Your severance from Queen Consolidated." She looked at him, waiting for more. "I was planning on giving it you that night…" He shrugged, he didn't want to make it a big deal…but it was a big fucking deal to him, he realized. His gut clenched at the thought of her having it. Of it all be over. No more Felicity.

"I can't Oliver. Not after all of this."

This was going to be done sooner or later, so he stood, taking the envelope from her. Staring down at her, he wanted to tell her not to take it, to stay on at Queen Consolidated, but in the end he wanted what was best for her. What made her happy, and if it wasn't there, then it wasn't there.

"You will always have a place at Queen Consolidated. But Felicity, it has to be your choice to stay, or your choice to go."

She looked torn. Was it possible she felt the same?

She nodded reached for the envelope and it felt like someone had gutted his insides, and tossed them on the floor, yet there was no evidence of it in the hotel room.

"Thank you for respecting my decision… to not stay on at QC." She whispered, and he nodded. Trying to be the supportive ex-CEO. And with a finesse only Felicity possessed, she ripped the envelope in half, and again, and again, until little pieces of paper flitted to the floor. "But you don't owe me anything."

He continued to stare at the floor, the paper scattered around them.

"What is it? Not what you were expecting."

"Yeah," he said, "not what I was expecting," still looking down, "and I've never seen anyone rip up a $100,000.00 cashier's cheque before."

"Wh-..A…What?...I…"

"Tommy and I were in Vegas once," he calmly started, "… a street magician ripped up his 100 dollar bill, but he put it back together again…. you know with magic." Looking at her staring down at the floor. "Is that what your going to do?" She didn't look at him.

"I thought it was my last payment and a reference letter, but…" Her hand waved wildly at the pieces, "How the hell did you get Isabel to agree to give me a $100,000.00?!"

"That depends on your definition of 'agree'."

She stared at him hard, her face white, "what did you do?"

He sat on the edge of the bed, and she did the same. "I didn't ask her per se, I just asked the girls in Finance to have it done." She looked like she didn't believe him, "I still have some pull over there." He flashed his million dollar smile.

"Like she didn't hate me enough already," Felicity muttered.

"I had a speech planned. At the benefit," he clarified. Leaning back into the bed, his body resting on one elbow. "Do you want to hear it?" He didn't wait for her reply. "I wanted to talk about that night, when we fought about Barry."

"I didn't think we were fighting about Barry."

"Well I was." He kept his tone casual. "I just have a difficult time trusting people. And for you it was so easy. I've been in situations where I put my trust in people simply because I felt a certain way about them. And I was betrayed." This was harder than he thought, taking a deep breath he started again. "And I was going to tell you that it's not that I don't trust you, because I do. My trust in you is absolute, and this was the first time it was tested, tried, and been true. I just had a hard time believing it. You were right."

"I'm sorry, could you say that last part again."

"You were right, about Barry, about everything that night." He looked at her to show her that this wasn't an easy confession. It was only one small part of his damage, but it was a part he kept behind the wall.

"Oliver-"

"My speech isn't over." He interrupted. "And then I found you at the hospital. You were talking to this guy, like you've known him for years. Someone I find out, you visit all the time over the last five years. And I realized, that this whole time I know so little about you. And I would like to change that."

"Change it how?"

"I want you and I to start over."

"I think that's easier said then done."

He opened his hand to her, "hello I'm Oliver Queen." And God help him but he felt his walls tremble, shift, and evaporate when she took his hand.

"Felicity Smoak."

Was this a dream, because it felt very much like a dream. They were both resting on their elbows facing one another.

"Favorite ice cream?" He asked.

"Pistachio." She answered. They had started playing a game of twenty questions, it two hours had slipped away. Each person asked a question; that had to be answered, no dodging, no hesitation, just the truth. And the other person had to ask a different question.

"Worst job?"

"CEO." She laughed, of course he would say that.

"Who is Joshua Tate?"

For once, her anxiety about Josh didn't come rushing back, she felt safe here, that if Oliver knew the truth he wouldn't judge her, or think any less of her.

"Josh is a high school friend. I was his tutor, we helped each other." She stared at her fingers, resting inches away from Oliver's hand. "I guess he was my first love. We were really close, and you know in the future, I thought it would work out for us. But after school we drifted apart, until…" taking a deep breath, a little terrified of saying the words.

"He called me out of the blue when I was at University. He was having a hard time. Academics wasn't easy for him, but he did have a scholarship for basketball. But he was going to lose it if he didn't get his grades up in his last year." Oliver placed his hand on top of hers. "And long story short is I started tutoring him, and his buddies found out, and they found out about my _abilities_ they…" she took another steady breath, "…wanted me to help them cheat. I tried to ignore them, but they were hanging around my dorm, my classes. When I told Josh, he promised he would take care of it. And when he went to talk to them, they turned on him. They beat him so bad." She couldn't go on any more except to add, "I was supposed to be there with him that night, but I didn't go. And the doctors said if he had made it to the hospital sooner, he would have had a better chance. I've always felt I let him down."

"Felicity." When he said her name, she thought it sounded more like a caress. "Ask me about the island."

She didn't have to think very hard for a question, there was always one at the forefront of her mind, "did you think you would ever come back home?"

"No, and for a long time I don't think I wanted. The island changed me, in ways I thought my family wouldn't or couldn't accept me. And part of me, the part that you and Diggle know is the part I want to be. The rest, is just a costume that I wish I didn't have to put on everyday." She knew it was hard for him to talk about, but as she listened to him she wondered if it wasn't making it a bit easier for him too. "When I think about home, I know it should be where my family is, but the other part of me thinks of the island." He shrugged.

Not wanting to lose their easy banter she asked, "Favorite time of the day."

"Night time. I like the stillness. Best vacation?"

"My parents summer-house in lake country. They have a cabin on the water. It's amazing there, you should try to get out there sometime."

"I might have to." He paused a moment before asking, "what did Kal mean when he said you were wrong that I do care about you?"

She hadn't expected that, "oh that," she waved her hand around, "it's probably something I said…or an impression he might have had."

"Felicity," Oliver started in mock seriousness, "are you dodging the question?" Before she could answer he easily pushed her onto her back, his knees on either side of her. Momentarily stunned.

"What are you doing?"

"Punishing you. That's the rule. You don't answer a question, you get punished." His finger ran along her sides tickling her. She tried to push him off even though she knew it would be pointless.

"Stop!" She laughed, "Oliver!" But he kept tickling, his head bent to her ear.

"The only way to stop is to answer the question."

"Because I told him.." she gasped, "that I had…feelings for you." A tear slid down her cheek, and his fingers stilled and his hands laid flat against her. She believed in defining moments, and this was one, his eyes searching her face. "And that's why I can't work for you Oliver. I just can't be around you everyday…" She didn't bother to try to finish the sentence. Pulling herself up she started again. "When I thought you were going to die, I just…realized…and I started to think of Josh, and I know what I'm capable of and what I'm not. And I don't think I'm strong enough to watch another person I care about be destroyed."

He reached for her and his thumb gently caressed her face. "Felicity…I do care…"

"Oliver, you don't have to say anything to make me feel better."

"Listen to me I care-"

"You care about me like a sister, I get it." The truth of it pinched her heart and she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"I don't kiss my sister like I kissed you."

Turning her head she saw that his emotions were equally exposed as her own. "Like a friend then-"

"I don't know what kind of friends you have, but no not like a friend either." His hand slipped behind her head, and she felt a dip in the mattress as he leaned closer, their breaths mingling. "I can't define my feelings for you, because…I have never…Felicity I just know what I feel for you has grown more every day. But I know you deserve better…I still don't think I can be with someone…"

"That you really care about." She finished. The pain was two-fold, and she never felt more certain about anything then what she was prepared to do. Lightly she touched his lips with her fingertips, "but could you be with someone you cared about tonight?"


	8. Chapter 8

His mind whirled. Gently his hand covered hers and he gently kissed her fingertips.

"Felicity." He started, he had no idea what to say to her, but he wasn't going to let this moment slip past them. She was no longer his assistant; he could never see her again.

In a rush of hunger he kissed her, his lips sucking and pulling on hers until she opened and his tongue explored. Turning he let himself fall back on the bed, holding her against him. Running his hands along her body, from her shoulders to where her dress ended. He could spend a lifetime kissing her like this.

Her hands trembled as she tried to unbutton his shirt. Rolling to his side, he pulled away from her brushing her hair away from her face.

"Felicity, trust me." Easily he undid his shirt and pulled out of it, quickly coming back to her side. He let her run her hands up and down his torso. Fingers drawing around his scars, skimming over his muscles, driving him mad.

"I never dreamed I would touch you this way," her voice sounded hoarse, he studied her as she concentrated on touching him.

"Well I did." He admitted. For hands stopped for a moment before they wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Careful not to crush her with his weight, his lips skimmed along her jaw, down her neck and across her shoulder. Her soft skin felt like rose petals, and she shivered when his five o'clock shadow brushed against her to hard.

Kissing her lower and lower, his hand reached down and cupped her knee, hooking it over his waist. As his tongue tasted and his lips kissed she began to rock against him. He wouldn't be able to stop soon, it was only a matter of time before he himself would be completely lost in her.

"Felicity…are you sure?" He whispered against her skin, his hand trailing up her spin, to the top of the dress, hovering over the zipper.

"Yes." One small word, spoken so softly, unleashed the damn of emotion he had kept hidden. He kissed her passionately, and he slipped the dress down, inch by slow inch. Feeling the warm sensual skin underneath. She pushed him onto his back as she kicked the dress off, only in a black strapless bra and panties. Her long golden hair loose and trailing over her shoulders. It was if she was part of a dream, he reached to touch her, and she quickly grabbed his hand putting it back down. "My turn."

She bent over him and started to tease his neck with her tongue, and trailing kisses down his chest. Her hands kept moving over him, everywhere, and her mouth moved lower and lower. She kissed him just above his pants, and her tongue flicked across the tender skin.

"Felicity." He warned, unable to hide the need in his voice.

"Hmm." He felt her fingers work at the top of his pants, and the freedom of the restraining fabric.

"Felicity," unable to hold back any longer he wrapped her hair around his wrist and gently pulled. Her head followed but her hand did not, and he groaned as she wrapped a perfect hand around him. "Don't.." He started, and then lost all thought.

"Don't?" Felicity teased, "don't what?" Her hand began to move, and he felt his whole body respond. "Don't kiss you like this?" She moved and found his lips, "or don't touch you like this?" Her hand tightened and moved down his length.

When he looked at her, he saw the unbridled passion in her eyes. Suddenly he moved from underneath her, and pulling her hand up. Trapping her hands under his own on either side of her head, he didn't look at him with fear, she looked at him wanting.

He pulled her glasses off and tossed them to the floor. He started kissing her mouth again, he couldn't contain his need for her any longer. Trailing down her neck, sucking and biting. He shifted, and moved her arms higher, holding them with one of his own. He felt her bra and tossed it aside. His hand began to massage her one breast, as his mouth covered the other. Pulling, sucking, twisting he couldn't get enough of her. He heard her cry out, but it only heightened his need further, it was almost unbearable. His hand dropped even lower under her panties, as his mouth moved to the other breast.

He had to pause for a heartbeat to feel her moist center, his fingers at her edge. And then he slipped one, then two fingers into her entrance. Felicity bucked against his hand, and he hissed in response. She was so hot, and so ready.

"Oliver," she cried. "Please Oliver." His thumb and fingers began to torture her, and her body responded, moving against him. "I need you."

"You have me." He was surprised at the tightness in his throat, and the emotion it carried. Pulling his hand away he ripped off her panties, and positioned himself between her legs. Letting her arms free he held head tenderly, his face inches from hers, "you have all of me Felicity. Always." And he entered her, they both moved together, hard and fast, reaching their climax together.

_One night isn't enough _he thought disparringly.

She wasn't sure what time it was. But then again it didn't matter. Oliver was laid on top of her, his body covering hers. Her arms circled around him, and she gently massaged his shoulder.

His breathing was low and steady, but she knew better than to believe he was asleep. She didn't know what she should do next, but knew that if she said something, it might spoil the moment.

She shivered.

"Are you cold?" Oliver moved, so he was looking down at her.

"No."

He moved off of her and pulled her up in one motion. Letting her legs go, so she stood beside him, naked, she went to pull away, but his arm was locked around her waist. Oliver bent and pulled the covers back off the bed and picked her back up, setting her in the middle.

"I wasn't cold." She tried to justify. Oliver slipped in next to her, pulling the blankets up and covering them. He reached for her and she moved closer to him, resting her head on his chest.

"I didn't want to move either," he kissed the top of her forehead.

"Oliver?"

"Yes," his hands traced a circle on her arm.

"I'm glad we…I'm happy that you and I…"

"Me too." He finished.

"I just want you to know that I don't regret what we did. That I don't have any bad feelings, about what happens next." She clarified.

"What's happening next?"

"Tomorrow, and the day after that." He didn't answer, and she let her body relax against his.

When she woke up, Oliver wasn't lying next to her. She reached for him and felt nothing. Sitting straight up she looked around the room. Everything was a blur and she haphazardly began looking for the glasses. Finding her bra, and her dress she managed to get into them. Her panties were a lost cause and kept looking for the glasses.

She heard the door open, and spun around.

"Hey." Oliver answered.

"I'm trying to find the glasses." She answered back, feeling her cheeks flush.

"Right here." He handed them to her. Putting them on, she felt more confident.

"Where did you go?"

"It's been 12 hours, I needed to call Diggle. I used the phone in the office, I didn't want to wake you up."

"Right." She sat on the bed, Oliver was acting strange, closed off. Like she hadn't shared one of the most amazing nights she ever had with him. "And what did he say."

"Looks like they found Jose, but Kal is still in the wind."

"That's good isn't it?" They both knew that the hood was going to put all his effort into finding Kal.

Oliver paced the room, like a lion trapped in a case. "Yeah, it is." His hand ran through his hair, "and I talked to Barry as well."

"Barry?" That surprised her, knowing Oliver and Barry's history, she knew they wouldn't be sharing a bromance anytime soon. "What did he say?" She tentatively asked.

"It's about Josh."

"What?" She stood up and went to Oliver, "what about Josh? Oh my God, did Kal get to Josh? Is he alright?" Oliver's face was completely blank. "Tell me what he said."

"Josh underwent a specific treatment to treat coma patients." Oliver's voice was distant and guarded, "and it was a success. Josh is showing significant signs of improvement."

"You mean waking up."

"Yes I mean waking up." A surge of relief flooded her, would this mean after all these years, she could wake up in the morning without a cloud of guilt? "The doctors think he will make a full recovery in the coming weeks."

She couldn't believe it. It seemed to good to be true. She wrapped her arms around Oliver, hugging him close. But he was stiff, and he pulled away.

"Oliver what is it, is something wrong?"

He shook his head, "no"

"Did I do something?" She asked.

"No, it's just that…we said…one night and…"

"Your right." She interrupted, hating the fact that she felt herself start to cry. "I did." Moving away from him, "and so did the creep at the desk, so I guess we should check out of here." She blabbed. "I'm going to take a quick shower, I'll meet you outside." She didn't wait for his response and stepped inside the bathroom, pulled the shower curtain and turned the water on high before she let herself succumb to the tears.


	9. Chapter 9

He thought it was awkward in the drive from the hotel to his home, but it was way more awkward standing in the formal living room, with his day old clothes, Felicity's ripped dress, his mother and sister, Dig and police including Officer Lance. Everyone stared at one another not sure which way the conversation should turn after he introduced Felicity as his assistant to which she quipped a 'former'.

"Like I was telling Mrs. Queen," officer Lance said, "we don't have Kal Varga in custody yet, but we have a few leads we are pursuing and it won't be long before we nab him. The majority of the money was found and returned, and what wasn't is tagged and will pop up on the FBI database when it's back in circulation"

"Thank you officer Lance." His mother said, turning to Felicity, "would you like a change of clothes? I'm sure Thea has something you might like to wear." She graciously offered.

"Thank you, but I should go." Felicity mumbled, looking everywhere but at Oliver.

"We need to take your statement before you leave. It might be easier to do it here, rather then at the station." Officer Lance explained. Turning to Oliver, "maybe we'll start with you first."

Oliver stepped towards the officers, catching Felicity's eye before his mother took her arm and the three women went up the stairs.

"So, you say you were kidnapped from here last night."

"Yes."

"And your sure it was Kal Varga and Jose Rodriguez?"

"I'm sure it was Jose. But I didn't know Kal until that night." Oliver explained. His temper was starting to boil. He wanted to get his hood on and hunt Kal down. "You said you had some leads?"

"Yes." Officer Lance didn't bother to elaborate.

"And you were held where?"

"Not sure." Oliver was being testy, but he had good reason to be; or so he thought. His girl would give her statement, go to the hospital, fall helplessly back in love with coma boy, and move on from his life. And all he had was…this. "Somewhere near the wharf."

"There was a fire there yesterday, wasn't there?" He asked one of the officers, they shrugged and kept note taking. "And so you escaped then, and went where?"

"A hotel."

"Why a hotel? Why not to the safe location where your mother and sister were."

"I don't understand what that has to do with being kidnapped and robbed?" Oliver asked.

Officer Lance motioned for him to follow him a few steps away from the two other uniforms.

"Look, it's not a great mystery to me what you and your assistant were up to. It's not a mystery to anybody who looks at you to." Oliver breathed deep, _do not slug the policeman, do not slug the policeman._ "But I think you should know that she's _connected_."

Oliver raised his eyebrow, "she's what?"

"Connected." He reaffirmed, "to a guy who is…how should I say this…who would not be very understanding if something should befall Ms. Smoak in any manner, in any way."

It took all the will power he had not to break into a shit eating grin. "Oh, well I didn't know."

"Trust me Oliver, whatever our differences, I don't want to come across this guy in a back alley, you know what I mean." Officer Lance said, dead serious.

"I'll keep that in mind." Oliver offered, and they walked back into the room.

"We'll leave a couple of uniforms to watch over the house, but Mr. Varga is probably not going to be targeting your family."

"Thank you Mr. Lance." Oliver pointedly looked at Dig, "But I would like to get going, I have some things at the office I need to look into."

"Sure," officer Lance went to speak with the other two.

"Where is Barry?" Oliver asked Diggle.

"He had to go back to Central City. But he assured me that Joshua would make a full recovery. Maybe within a few days he would wake up. Have you told Felicity yet?"

"Yeah," he didn't want to think about Felicity and Joshua, it was to raw and to much, and unfair."Did she ever tell you what their history was?"

Oliver chose not to answer that question. "Dig I need to get to Verdant, we need to run down this Kal Varga."

"Did you want to wait for Felicity?" Dig asked.

"I think she's going to have other priorities." He snapped, and moved towards the front door.

"Oliver?"

Oliver turned back to his friend, "just keep my mother and Thea safe. I'll take care of the rest."

"You don't know where he is, or where he's going. How are you going to find him Oliver, especially without Felicity."

Oliver didn't answer he just kept moving to the door.

She was grateful for the t-shirt and jeans, but not so much for the 100 questions from Oliver's sister Thea.

"So where did you and my brother stay?"

"A hotel."

"Hmm, the Hilton?" Felicity shook her head, "The Westin?" Again she shook her head. "Oliver usually takes his dates to some swanky hotel."

"It wasn't a date."

"Right. So what did you two do then?"

"Do?"

"Yeah, mom and I played poker for most of it. Mr. Diggle wouldn't even let us take a walk and we were in the middle of nowhere."

Felicity grinned, "yeah he can be that way." She moved towards the door, and was caught completely off guard when Thea linked her arm through hers, they walked out of her room together.

"So I heard that your not working for Ollie any more?" Felicity down looked at their arms. They were heading back to the main formal room, and she could hear voices down below.

"No, not anymore."

"When did that happen?" Thea asked in a girly voice, but her eyes missed nothing. Felicity thought if Starling City ever needed an Inquisitor Thea Queen would be their girl.

"Just recently."

"Hmm, recently as last night."

"No," Felicity quickly answered, "no, the night before that."

"Oh, the night before that." Thea repeated. She seemed amused.

"What?"

"I'm glad for you." Thea stopped them on the stairs

"For being unemployed?"

"No, for _both_ of you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Felicity lied.

"Okay," Thea answered and started walking back down the steps, "but please keep in mind that Oliver has always had a private self. I'm sure it won't be easy for you, but he's worth it. I promise."

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs she felt like she should sway Thea off of her path of thinking. "I really don't know what you're talking about."

Thea smiled a knowing smile and moved further down the corridor, fading into the shadows of the hallway.

"Ms. Smoak?" Officer Lance called.

"Yes," she answered pulling her thoughts away from Thea and their conversation.

"Can you give a statement now?"

"Of course," she answered. They moved to the sitting area facing each other. She nodded, she had never given a statement of any kind and it seemed so official. Her mind raced with everything she had done in Verdant, the hacking, the listening, all of it and she became subconscious. She folded her hands on her lap, then moved them to her sides, and then crossed them in front of her. Officer Lance didn't seem to notice, or care.

"So its true you're no longer working at Queen Consolidated?"

She nodded.

"Well, you should consider a job with the Starling City Police." He offered casually as he flipped open his notepad and started making notes.

"I never thought of that," she answered.

"Honestly, between you and me, we could use someone like you on our side." His voice was low, "with your skills we could really make a difference in this city."

Could she work with the police and Oliver and Digg at night, she didn't even have to think about it, "where should I apply?" This was a great opportunity, being part of Starling City Police would give her unlimited access. Be able to relay information as soon as it was available, instead of waiting for the news to catch it or second hand from Officer Lance. And she would be able to cover Oliver's tracks to protect his identity if needed.

"Don't bother with the paperwork. I still know a few people around there, come in first thing tomorrow, meet a few people, and let me handle the rest." He winked. "And I think you should tell our friend of what happened. I think he'll want to know."

"Why is that?"

Officer Lance waved his hand in the air, "you know how men can be, I'm sure."

"I don't know what that means?" She asked genuinely curious.

"Men get a little protective about the women they care about."

"We don't have that kind of relationship." She said as stern as she could manage. It was as if she had a neon sign on her head, telling everyone how she felt about Oliver.

"Maybe you don't," he flipped open his notepad, "or…"

"Or?"

He looked at her with a wide grin, "or your wrong."


	10. Chapter 10

Hours later he was positioned on the roof of a seven-story apartment building his eyes trained on the building across the street. Waiting. He might not have the leads the police had, or Felicity's expertise, but he knew people and he knew desperation. With Jose out of the picture, along with most of the money, and so that meant Kal was desperate which meant he was going to do something very stupid.

As if on cue, he noticed his car drive up to the curb of the building, and Felicity stepped out, and Diggle followed. There seemed to be an exchange, he imagined Felicity telling Diggle not to worry, telling him she was safe, and he could almost hear Diggle insist on walking her up to her apartment. He knew people.

He watched them go through the front door, and it was no more than thirty minutes later when he watched Diggle come back out. Now the waiting game started. He kept his eyes trained on movements surrounding the building but his eyes kept darting to her window. She moved around her apartment, turning the TV on, making something on the stove, flipping through her mail. And he felt his rage change, and become something else, something more, something he thought would make him weak. If this was love, he didn't feel weak, he felt stronger than he ever had before.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed it, a quick movement, someone was climbing up the fire escape on the far side of her building. Fluidly he pointed and aimed his bow and arrow. This feeling he was having, it made his heart race, his throat dry, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to make the kill shot. Not if he wanted to look Felicity in the eye. Not if he wanted to be the best he could because it was what she thought he was. So he chose the next best thing, he aimed again, the man was moving fast across the roof of the building. But not fast enough.

The arrow went sailing through the air, and hit Kal in the shoulder. Wounded, he fell to the ground grasping at his shoulder. He shot another arrow; this time aimed it for the rooftop entrance. Grabbing onto the wire attached to his arrow, he slid across the street and as Kal got to his feet he took the opportunity to throw a hard punch to the man's head, leaving him unconscious.

Lifting him up on his shoulders he started back towards the fire escape. He knew just how he was going to make Kal pay.

Oliver watched as the man, who was tied at the end of a wrecking ball swung like a pendulum, back and forth, back and forth. And while he swung he screamed.

He called Diggle.

"Oliver."

"Diggle, would you please alert the authorities to Kal Varga's location. He is currently being held at the construction site of," he paused looking at his cross streets, "100 and Main."

"Do I even want to know?" Diggle asked, obviously aware of Kal's screaming. "How did you find him so fast?"

"A vigilante never tells his secrets."

Diggle laughed, "OK meet me for drinks at The Bin Box"

He didn't need to answer, he felt like a drink, if felt like a lot of drinks actually.

Diggle wasn't hard to find, he was standing at the bar talking to the pretty bartender, and the men standing next to him look childlike next to him.

"Oliver!" Diggle waved him over. "What are you having?" He asked when Oliver sat.

"Whatever's on tap." Oliver turned to his friend, "are we celebrating something?"

"Your safe return." Diggle offered. "Tell me where you found the bastard."

"Felicity's" Oliver answered taking a drink of his beer.

"What? I went through that place myself."

"He was waiting. It was the only play he had left. No Jose, no money, the only thing he had was leverage against Oliver Queen and that was Felicity."

"Good thing the Hood was in the neighbourhood." Diggle seemed amused.

"She's not coming back to Queen Consolidated."

"I know." Diggle added, "women like Felicity don't just keep hanging around, waiting for you to get a clue. She will move on, with or without you."

"Looks like she already has."

"I don't follow."

"Joshua Tate." He hated the name, he had no idea why but it tasted sour on his tongue.

"Ah, the patient that your girl visited." Oliver looked at him, not appreciating the tone. "She told me a little about him, telling me about how she felt guilty for his coma, how she wished she could go back and change things."

"Yeah," Oliver took a longer drink. His glass was already feeling empty.

"You don't think that those two are going to fall madly in love with one another, do you?"

"Why not?" Oliver emptied the bottle and motioned for the bartender for a refill. "Girl pines for coma boyfriend, boyfriend wakes up, girl and boy fall in love. It's a happy ending." He unhappily finished.

"Look man I know you were on an island for five years, and haven't got much game. If you want to be in Felicity's life, you're going to have to make an effort."

Oliver refused to play this game. "What are you talking about?"

"When she spoke about Joshua, she was concerned." Dig paused, "but when you're running late, even ten minutes she get's panicked. And don't even get me started that night we thought you were about to die if it wasn't for Barry."

"What are you saying."

"I'm saying that Felicity has feelings for you that don't come close to this scenario you dreamed up about her and some guy in a coma."

He looked at his friend for a long time. "I don't think I should be with-"

"Stop! Stop right there, because that shit might work on your ladies. But I know you better. I know that all your doing to keeping everyone at a distance, because you can't handle being hurt. And that might work for awhile, until one day you wake up and realize you don't want to be alone anymore."

"How very Oprah Winfrey of you."

Diggle took a drink of his beer, and in all seriousness replied. "She will move on Oliver. With or without you."

This was necessary, she thought to herself, this has to happen. She breathed in and out, trying to control her nerves. If she wasn't going to be around Oliver or Diggle she was going to have to learn to take care of herself. No more depending on them to get her out of tough situations. Although, she could argue with herself, that tough situations won't have the same meaning as they once did.

Her job at Starling City Police was going to start next Monday, and that only gave her a few days to get this done.

"You never know who might be a threat." Hugh's voice boomed around them. Everyone was facing a cement wall, at least ten feet apart, in maybe three rows.

She managed a quick glance at the girl standing next to her, Jenny the Librarian, she looked just as panicked as she was. "At any moment your life might be in danger." Hugh was walking in between them. He was large, maybe 280 pounds, and at least six-foot four. "And who's going to be there, to save your life?" He asked no one in particular. She felt him move behind her, she was certain that he was going to throw her around like a rag doll-like he did Celeste. "I said, WHO is going to save your LIFE?" He practically yelled.

At once everyone yelled back, "I AM." And then in a swift motion she saw Jenny being flung on to her back and landing with a thud on the mat. Hugh reached for her hand, and pulled Jenny back up. The class turned to face him, and she could feel the atmosphere in the room change considerably.

"I hope I'm not late?" She would recognize that voice anywhere. And she turned to see Oliver strolling in to the gym, wearing sweats, t-shirt, and runners. He held up his hands to the group, "Oh, I am late."

"And you are?" Hugh asked crossing his arms.

"Oliver Queen." He stuck his hand out for a handshake. And just as fast Hugh reached, pulled and tucked under Oliver, who went flying just as easily as Jenny. Landing hard on his back.

"Next time, be on time." Hugh didn't bother reaching for Oliver's hand and moved to the center of the group again. Oliver raised his eyebrows at her. She could hear the women whispering around her. "_Isn't that THE Oliver Queen?" "Oh he is so hot!"_

This wasn't acceptable she thought, as she tried to focus on Hugh. He was using poor Jenny as a demonstration on being attacked from behind.

She felt him standing next to her, his arm casually brushing up against hers. She tried to ignore it, which he knew of course, and he purposely moved against her. Their arms were skin to skin. There was an entire gym, yet he was pressed up against her.

She shot him a look, which he ignored smiling at Hugh and Jenny.

"Okay, did everyone get that?" The group nodded, "I want to see each of you try with a partner, take turns." He instructed, and before he finished there was a rush of voices.

A tall blonde turned to Oliver, "would you like to be my-"

"Actually, I'm Felicity's partner." He informed her, and put his hand on the small of her back, leading her to the opposite side of the mat.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"Taking self defense classes." He answered innocently. When he didn't say anything else she continued.

"No, I'm taking self-defense classes, you are doing something else. What are you up to?" She lowered her voice, trying to keep their conversation as private as possible, as they faced each other on the mat.

"I don't know if you've heard, but I was kidnapped not to long ago."

"Oliver."

"From my own home." He added just as sweetly, hand on his heart.

"Oliver, stop it."

"I just don't want to be a victim again." He cracked a smile as he reached for her arm, and just as Hugh had done to him, tossed her down onto the mat. He was still holding her hand, grinning down at her, so she kicked at his knee, causing him to loose his balance. He ended up landing across her torso, but he didn't seem to mind. In fact he had he seemed quite content to lay there staring at her.

"Is this about Queen Consolidated?"

"Absolutely not. Diggle tells me you have a fancy new job with the police."

She tried to wiggle out from under him, but it didn't work. "Is this about my _other_ job?"

"Not that either." She looked around, and caught a few stares.

"Let me up, people are staring at us."

"I. Don't. Care."

"Please Oliver." It must have been how she said it because, he slowly lifted himself up, helping her as well.

"Your turn." He said.

She grabbed at his hand, and he easily moved out of her reach. Again, she tried and he did the same move. If he didn't want to play fair, neither would she. She made a third attempt to grab at his arm, and as he moved in the other direction she grabbed her stomach, doubling over in mock pain.

"Felicity-" and before he could finish she twisted his arm behind him, simultaneously wrapping her leg around his and pushing down. He fell on his stomach.

"Excellent! Excellent job Felicity!" Hugh called from across the gym, and truth be told she felt excellent. "Next time Oliver, I suggest you not underestimate your opponent."

Oliver flipped over and looked up at her. "And he doesn't even know what you can do with a high heel."

She had to laugh at that. "Seriously Oliver, what are you doing here."

"I'm here because you're here." He said.

She titled her head in question. "I'm here because I wanted to ask you out to dinner."

"Dinner?"

"Yes, where we sit at a table, eat amazing food, and enjoy each other company." He stood up, "and hopefully neither one of us is attacked, injured, or kidnapped."

"Well you never know with you, your kind of a magnet for trouble."

He put on his innocent face, "not I."

"I don't know Oliver, about what you said, about not having someone in your life-"

"That's great guys, you all did a great job today. See you back here next week." Hugh pointedly looked at Oliver, "on time."

She turned and made her way to the change rooms. She couldn't concentrate, and having Oliver this close to her made her giddy.

"Felicity wait." He called after her, but she choose to ignore him.

Waiting until all the other women had left she sat by herself on the bench, straddling it. What did he want really? Why now? Dinner, was he serious? So many questions, and her stomach still had butterflies from their exchange. Would it always be like this? Every time he walked into a room, would her heart race.

"So your hiding." Oliver said as he nonchalantly walked through the doors.

Surprised to see him, she sputtered, "this _is_ the ladies room Oliver."

"I know, I read it on the door, before I walked in."

Putting her head in her hands. "What do you want from me?"

Oliver sat in front of her, and moved her hands away from her face. "I told you."

"Dinner?"

"Yes."

"Like a date?" She asked.

"Exactly."

"Am I missing something here? Is this how you plan on get me to go back to being your assistant."

"Nope. I'm just a guy asking a girl to give him a chance." She looked at him hard, his eyes were being completely open and she knew he was being honest.

"I don't think so." She managed.

"Why?"

"Because there is a lot of history there. And I'm not sure if we are well suited for one another."

"Can I tell you, respectively, that you're wrong." He argued, "first the fact that you and I have history means more to me than I think you can ever imagine. Not only do you know me, but you know _all_ of me. I don't have to pretend. I don't have to lie. You can't know how much I value you that. And we are suited for one another, and I can prove it to you."

"How?"

"By taking you out to dinner." She grinned at his grin.

"I'm scared Oliver." She finally said, "when you almost died that night. I just didn't think I would ever be able to live with myself if I lost you like that. It scares me, the thought of you not in my life."

"I know," he leaned forward, "it scares me too. But what scares me even more, is knowing that I could have made a home with you and I didn't. I want to take a chance with you Felicity. I would like us to try…" he didn't finish just held her hand, "follow me I have something for you."

Intrigued, she grabbed her bag and followed him through the facilities to the parking lot, and around the side of the building. She stopped dead in her tracks. Oliver kept walking and leaned against the car.

"And to prove my devotion to you, I am gifting you this."

"Is that a Firebird?" She asked.

"Felicity," Oliver patiently explained, "this is the 2014 Firebird Firebreather. It's the their newest model, and I had some enhancements done as well."

It looked stunning, all black and glossy with red trim over the headlights, and the faintest of red flames on the front. It was sexy, it was dead sexy.

"I can't accept this…this is to much." She was flabbergasted.

"It's a gift you can't just give back a gift Felicity, that would be rude."

She shook her head, smiling so wide she thought her face might split. "What are the enhancements?" She finally asked.

"Oh, well I had them install bullet proof windows and doors. Also, four GPS locators, fingerprint starter, voice activated computer, and a killer stereo."

"Four GPS locators?"

Oliver shrugged, "you know…just in case."

"So."

"So." He repeated.

"Where are you taking me for dinner?"

Oliver smiled and moved toward her, and carefully brushed his thumb over her lips. "I know a great place by the wharf."

"I'll pass." Knowing he was teasing her.

"In that case, I guess you'll have to settle for a al carte Oliver Queen." Smiling she tipped herself up on her tippy toes and kissed him.

"Sounds dangerous," she held her hand out for the keys, which he placed her in hand. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have her heart race, and butterflies jump in her stomach, maybe it would be for the better. She didn't look back at Oliver as she moved towards her car. Maybe this is how it was meant to be.


End file.
